"Thanks for the meal!"

I place my chopsticks together and lay them on my plate. Mom made an absolute mean stir-fry with Sluggy's help. Easy and cheap, just throw whatever food we have in a wok-like pot to cook together, then easy servings.

Some of the textures and flavours were not familiar from my previous life, but now were now a familiar comfort.

"No problem darling, you said you'd be going to bed early tonight?" She asked, grabbing my dishes to bring to the kitchen.

I hummed.

"Yeah, Ledyba and I are planning on heading out earlier tomorrow"

Ledyba let out an affirmative at that, my mom turning back to me giving a soft smile.

"Well I know that you can take care of yourself, but since you've got a pokegear now," she grinned, pulling back one of her sleeves, and flexing her toned muscles.

"Give me a ring, and we will come running"

I giggled when she gave me an exaggerated wink. I don't think I'd need her help, in general from a young age it seems pretty normal to go out on your own for hours on end but it gave me comfort knowing she and Ponyta would come to my rescue if needed. The trust was also nice.

Dramatically rising from my chair, I grabbed Ledyba, holding him up towards the ceiling.

"Onwards my companion!" I raised my voice, making it gruff. "Adventure awaits! But alas, we must sleep till the time of Awakening!"

"Kris, knock it off!"

Whoops, a bit too loud for Gramps having his 'relaxing time' on his rocking chair outside. Time to scuttle!

"Night Kris, I'll settle down Dad"

Score for mom, out distracting him from my tomfoolery.

Ledyba chittered in excitement for what was coming and I giggled.

"Night Mom!

Going out in the night, waking up way earlier than usual, Ledyba and I traversed heading north further into Route 30.

Technically our house proper wasn't part of Cherrygrove town. We are actually on the route itself, just outside of town.

It was also a relatively safe route. Well-traveled with the occasional ranger, there was nothing truly dangerous where we were going. As long as we knew what we were doing, which I was.

It wasn't too dark, as we were illuminated by the moon and the great many stars.

It was less busy with wild pokemon, but it's not like they weren't there. You could hear the occasional Hoothoot, their call travelling. Hoothoots were always a good sign to hear.

Ledyba and I eventually reached our destination, and I could feel him perking up on my head.

We could finally see a clearing, a field of long grass with the occasional breeze. But what was important was the swarm above it. Tens of Ledyba swarming on the field. But it wasn't just Ledyba in that swarm, there was the occasional Ledian too.

Something I'd never thought I'd see before I came to this world, and never failed to take my breathe away was how they did it.

It was almost like a wishiwashi in its school form, in the night the ledyba were shadowed and their swarms making non-distinct shapes, making them appear more homogenous. But what was important was that during the night, the Ledian glowed. Starlight breaking through the beast, making what looked like many glowing eyes and mouths flowing in and out of the swarm.

"Ready to have fun with your friends, Ledy?" I asked my companion.

He gave me a determined nod, and I grabbed his back with my hand.

"Don't forget what we're here for"

Pivoting my feet, and winding up for a throw, I chucked him in towards the swarm, with him using the boost to fly right into it.

The shapes briefly scattered- the light getting brighter- before coming into each other again.

I moved a bit closer to sit down and wait to see what Ledyba could get out of his fellows. I don't want to try my luck too much with a large swarm of them, despite my companionship with one that was once part of their swarm. It wasn't the first time we've visited then, and while I've challenged them to battles in the past, we're not here for that today.

During the night, this was probably the safest place I could be. This was Ledyba's old swarm, before that fateful storm.

I glanced past the field, to the edge where there was tightly packed trees.

Traveling at night can be dangerous, but it was especially dangerous within the trees.

If there was one thing that could be said about Route 30, it was that it was also where you could find the spinarak and araidos.

Night hunters, that would pick up anything that would wander too close to where they made their nests. Thicker canopies were preferred for more shade, but also to avoid their biggest predators on this route: the Hoothoot and rare Noctowl.

They did compete with the smaller population of beedrill, which helped keep each others population down, but if I could help it, I would never want to tango with such pokemon on their home field. Giant Hornets and Spiders? Not today.

The Ledyba and Ledian swarms typically made their homes on fields of grass, away from the trees, where they could ambush and pick apart their members.

The swarm -taking advantage of the night- making them seem monstrous and intimidating also kept any curious or deadly pokemon away making them look like more trouble than they're worth.

It was very cool how they took advantage of what seemed like lame abilities like their swarm, and also their unique light generating attributes to make a faux schooling ability, and appear like a stronger Pokemon.

Another cool thing, I thought as I flipped up my notebook and grabbed a pen, is that the light coming off them and the moon is enough.

It wasn't hard to snap out of my focus, when I noticed it was started to get lighter, the sky not as dark as before.

It was dawn.

The starlight glow of the ledian was getting dimmer, and with the light, also came with it the swarm breaking up.

Now it was no longer as dangerous, they no longer had to tightly swarm to be safe.

Not to mention, they're mostly nocturnal pokemon, most active just before, and during dawn.

With the swarm breaking up, I could now spot what I recognized as my Ledyba making familiar gestures and talking to one of the Ledian.

I could see it look towards me, and I gave it an enthusiastic wave.

I decided to stay where my butt was planted, waiting for my partner.

They continued talking to each other, and I saw another Ledian join the conversation.

I glanced down at my notebook at what I accomplished today. Due to the general low visability, I decided to have fun and just doodle pokemon.

My best bud Ledyba, but also a few low effort sketches. Giovanni with a Persian, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Brock with his iconic face, surprised pikachu face, Mewtwo, and the sadly scribbled out block of what used to be Cynthia and her garchomp before I messed it up and covered the evidence.

I flicked my eyes up to see Ledyba returning to me.

"So" I began, "what did your kin say about evolution, oh mighty Ledyba of mine?"

Ledyba chittered at me an began our game of charades.

"Stronger? But you're already strong- no thats not just it?"

"Flexing? We already train a lot, and we're stronger then them-"

"Are you punching right now? Is that an uppercut? Am I not tutoring you on super cool moves already-"

"Is food the answer to Evolution?! Oh wait, youre just hungry. Here's a fried oran berry"

"Are you shadow boxing…? Fighting someone? But we already fight a lot…"

"Something bigger? More challenging? Dude, we've lost to Moms Ponyta more then we've won. Are you asking us to challenge all the older trainers in Cherrygrove then…?"

"Ugh, here's a pen Ledyba!"

I open a blank page of my notebook and point towards it.

Ledyba grips the pen in one of his hands and starts to write down. One of the best things Ive done is teach him to read. His writing skills is a bit blocky, but its alright.

I patiently wait for him to finish, humming a tune when I realise he's putting more information there then I thought was needed.

Ledyba tilts his head cutely then nods to himself.

"Ba!"

I grabbed the notebook he passed over at me and took a look at what he wrote.

Huh, he must have talked to most of the Ledian in the swarm.

Battling a pokemon, saving a ledyba from the mandibles of a Ariados, gathering courage to leave a hiding spot, needing strength, a moment of peace, a moment of determination, visiting a place full of fond memories, a yearning feeling, and just feeling… ready.

"Hey Ledyba…." I begin, giving a searching gaze to my partner.

"Do you actually want to evolve? It's okay to say no…"

Ledians are cooler, thats a fact. I've told him that. But if he didn't want to evolve and remains as my hat… He's my best friend.

Ledyba looks back, his eyes as serious as mine. We stare what seems like minutes, before he gives me a chirp and a affirmative.

"Okay, so we'll still try…"

Looking over what he wrote again I thought.

We've done a lot of these already…

"Hmmm… a Place of fond memories"

Fond memories… we already live at home- but!

"Hey Ledyba- how about we go to where we first met? We do have an entire day ahead of us!"

Where we first encountered us on that fateful night, was North-East of our house, closer to the mountain range, and the closer to the mountain range you get, the more dangerous the pokemon that can be. The lucky thing is, that those that travel the Mountain Range, The Persians, Ursaring and Skarmory are usually found closer to Route 46 and 21, which is why Rangers patrol that area more often.

It only took less than an hour to make it to the location, using the distant grab as a landmark to find my way there to the small clearing with a scattering of trees. A stump from a torn off tree.

I could hear the friendlier pokemon as well, and looking up I could swear I could see the white of a couple jumpluff floating on the wind off into the distance.

The I looked to the crag where I saw the legendary beast on that fateful day.

"Let's go over there Ledyba"

Giving the clearing another glance, I left. I didn't remember much of the location that night- the torrential downpour had concealed most of it at the time.

We journeyed together towards it.

Getting closer, the ground became more rocky, losing its grass. Climbing up the slope, I slowly started to reach my goal, with Ledyba safety sticking to my head, while also performing lookout.

When I finally reached the top, I felt winded.
I opened up my new bag, grabbing a bottle of water to take a huge gulp.

Truly, the worst part about the climb was just The sun, and as it was getting closer to midday it would just get worse.

Going to the spot I saw the beast, I looked over the landscape.

It was just pockets of plain fields, with scatterings of trees. I could just see the cape from here, and the transition of mostly green trees with the occasional cherry blossom, to the full on all pink trees that would be where Cherrygrove Is.

"So Ledy….?"

He gave me a chur.

"Maybe? Hmm, it's not quite it…."

"Anyway, let's have lunch while we're here"

I rolled out a picket blanket from my new bag, as well as a bento that was packed the night before. It was just some plain Onigiri, for me and Ledyba to share today.

I passed him over his one, and grabbed mine to eat.

Jelly filled donuts heh….

Ledyba gave me a curious look at my giggle. He probably wouldn't get it.

After finishing our meal we rested, looking at the view. I mentally put down a note to revisit this place in the future.

"Okay Ledyba, let's go. We'll rethink this back at home"

I gathered our stuff and put it away in my bag.

Though when I was about to head down, I saw something sparkle at the corner of my eye.

"Huh? Did you see that Ledyba?"

"Ledy…."

All that was in that direction was boulders, rocks, and a few plants that managed to grow.

"We do have time…"

Ledyba took the initiative and flew up to it, and I jogged to catch up.

Getting closer, I saw Ledyba dislodge something and held up ghe shining prize for me to see.

"What's this?"

Before I could register what he was holding, I could feel something move, and I quickly moved away

"Ledyba!" I exclaimed.

Where Ledyba once stood, taking off nearly a moment too soon, the rocks crumbled into themselves, rumbling the ground.

A gaping dark maw opened up, and I quickly scrambled back to get further away. However as soon as it started, it stopped.

"What happened…?"

I shuffled closer to have a closer look.

It was not a huge hole, big enough for two of me to go through, but it was pitch black.

"Ledy…?"

Moving closer to the face of the opening I pondered.

Then I spoke into it.

"Hello?"

And the cave echoed the greeting back to me.

in a playthrough of HGSS, Route 30 is where you typically meet the respective version exclusives Spinarak, and Ledyba. Though the ledyba swarm thing is a thing I did make up- they're morning/dawn pokemon, they swarm (typically when cold), Ledian glows in the dark. Its going to be hard to see in the darker hours too.

Seems like it could be a cool defense mechanism. One of the things I want to do in this fic is extrapolate what Abilities (with a capital A), and also species unique abilities that don't come up in gameplay, to do interesting things. This being one of them.